JD Classics secured two overall race victories at this weekend’s Donington Historic Festival.

• JD Classics secured two overall race victories at this weekend’s Donington Historic Festival, having entered a total of four cars
• The Maldon-based team competed in a Bastos Rover SD1, ex-Tom Walkinshaw Racing Jaguar XJS, Costin Lister and Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar XK120
• The JD Classics Costin Lister took victory in the Stirling Moss Trophy, while the Bastos Rover won the Historic Touring Car Challenge
• Latest two victories follow JD Classics’ season-opening two race wins at the 75th Goodwood Members’ Meeting

JD Classics has followed up its double-win at the season-opening Goodwood Members’ Meeting with a further two victories at this weekend’s Donington Historic Festival.

The Maldon-based classic car specialist was competing with four fully race-prepared entries; a Bastos Rover SD1, ex-Tom Walkinshaw Racing Jaguar XJS, Costin Lister and an Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar XK120. 

The weekend’s racing kicked off with qualifying for the Historic Touring Challenge, in which JD Classics was fielding the Bastos Rover and Jaguar XJS. Early laps revealed a breather tank issue for the Rover, which was quickly rectified by the JD Classics engineers, before it went on to set a blistering pole position time of 1:16.267. The Jaguar XJS, with John Young at the wheel, was sitting 11th on the grid by the end of the session.

The Historic Touring Car Challenge race got underway on Saturday afternoon, with Steve Soper taking over driving duties in the JD Classics’ Rover, and Chris Ward piloting the Jaguar XJS. After the rolling start, the Rover began to show its pace, pulling away from the pack with each lap. The Jaguar XJS was performing well, too, having moved from 11th to fifth in the space of just five laps.

By the time the pit window opened for the mandatory 60-second stops, the Rover SD1 had pulled out a 45-second lead. Even coming in for its stop and allowing Chris Ward to swap from the XJS into the Rover, it still rejoined the race in second position. Just a couple of laps later it was back in the lead, eventually crossing the finishing line 39 seconds ahead of the chasing car. The XJS, meanwhile, was consistently quick throughout, finishing in sixth position.

Next up was the Stirling Moss Trophy, where Chris Ward once again put in an incredible qualifying lap that saw the Costin Lister set a pole position time within his first six laps. No other car on track was able to beat the time for the remainder of the session, including the JD Classics-supported XK120 which qualified in 26th position with a lap three seconds quicker than its time last year.

The race began late on Saturday with a rolling start, in which Chris Ward established his place at the front of the pack and began pulling away in the Costin Lister. On lap 8, Ward had begun to lap the slowest cars, and the team decided to bring the Lister into the pits for its 60-second stop, before rejoining the race in fifth. As other cars began to pit, the Costin Lister made its way back into the lead, persistently chased by a Lister Knobbly that closed the gap to 0.4 seconds. But by the time the chequered flag fell, Ward had secured JD Classics’ second victory by a margin of 1.1 seconds.

The Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar XK120 of Steve and Josh Ward, meanwhile, made up seven places over the course of the race to finish in 19th overall and first in in its class.

JD Classics Managing Director, Derek Hood, said: “This was another weekend of fantastic performances from our Competition Department. The cars were brilliantly prepared by our engineers back at our Maldon HQ, and maintained to perfection at the track. We’re only two events into the historic racing calendar and JD Classics has already secured four victories –here’s to plenty more over the next few months.”

JD Classics celebrates successful Donington Historic Festival 2015.

• JD Classics takes two podium finishes and two pole positions at the 2015 Donington Historic Festival
• The team’s Costin Lister was driven from sixth on the grid to a second place finish
• In the new Jaguar Heritage Challenge, JD Classics’ E-type also raced to third in a strong field of pre-1966 Jaguars
• In a successful weekend of racing, the JD Classics team also posted two fastest laps in its Cooper T33 and Costin Lister
• JD Classics’ Bastos Rover SD1 and Cooper T33 both forced to retire from the lead following technical issues

JD Classics finished the Donington Historic Festival with two podiums, two pole positions and two fastest laps – despite technical difficulties forcing two of its entries to retire from leading positions.

Competing in the Stirling Moss Trophy for pre-1961 sports cars was JD Classics’ Costin Lister, which qualified well in sixth place at the hands of JD Classics’ own Chris Ward. 

A slight misfire prevented a higher qualifying position but with the car running smoothly for the race, the Costin Lister was in the lead by lap six, having posted the fastest lap of the race. 

With a time penalty for using just a single driver and a driver mistake while chasing the leader, the Costin eventually finished second.

In the newly created Jaguar Heritage Challenge event for pre-1966 Jaguars, JD Classics was competing in an E-type, again with Chris Ward at the wheel along with historic racing driver John Young. With a qualifying position of fifth, the team were in good shape for the race, and were dicing for the lead with two other E-types. 

At one point an oil spill forced all three cars off the track and the race was red-flagged. Following a driver change shortly after, the JD Classics’ E-type came home in third place.

JD Classics’ Bastos Rover SD1 was competing in the Historic Touring Car Challenge race, where former Touring Car driver, Steve Soper, drove it emphatically to pole position. 

As the race kicked off, the Bastos Rover began pulling away from the pack, looking set to dominate from the front. Unfortunately, though, it was forced to retire with technical issues before the chequered flag.

In the Woodcote Trophy, JD Classics’ entered its Cooper T33, which put in a brilliant qualifying time to take pole position more than six-tenths of a second ahead of the Aston Martin DB3S sitting in second. 

While sitting comfortably in the lead – and having posted a fastest lap of the race – the occasional puff of smoke in the corners hinted at a mechanical problem. With the car in the pits, the team were forced to retire the Cooper T33 with a head gasket failure.

Following its successes at Donington and at the 73^rd Goodwood Members’ Meeting earlier this year, JD Classics’ next challenge is to take on the gruelling Mille Miglia with a host of expertly prepared cars.

JD Classics looks to continue 2015 with a series of four entries at the Donington Historic Festival.

• JD Classics is entering four expertly prepared racing cars in the 2015 Donington Historic Festival: a Costin Lister, Cooper T33, Rover SD1 and Jaguar E-type
• The JD Classics race team has already kicked off the 2015 season with two podium finishes at the 73^rdGoodwood Members’ Meeting
• The team will be looking to build on last year’s success at Donington, where JD Classics cars took two victories

JD Classics will be entering four cars, expertly prepared by its Historic Racing team, in to the 2015 Donington Historic Festival from 2-4 May.

Following a successful 73^rd Goodwood Members’ Meeting earlier this year, in which JD Classics cars took two podium finishes, the team looks set for more successes at Donington. At last year’s event, JD Classics scored two victories: one in its Ford Cologne Capri and one in its Costin Lister.

The Costin Lister will be competing again this year in the Sir Stirling Moss Trophy for pre-1961 sports cars, driven by JD Classics’ own Chris Ward. JD Classics founder, Derek Hood, and historic racing driver, John Young, will drive the team’s Cooper T33 in the Woodcote Trophy for pre-1956 sports cars.

Taking part in the GT and Sports Car Cup will be JD Classics’ Bastos Rover SD1 with John Young and former Touring Car and Endurance racer, Steve Soper at the wheel.

New to this year’s event is the HSCC Jaguar Heritage Challenge, in which JD Classics will be competing with a Jaguar E-Type. Sharing the drive will be Derek Hood, Chris Ward and John Young. The Jaguar-only race is open to all Jaguar models produced before 1966.

JD Classics’ hugely successful race preparation team is just one part of the company’s wider business, which also includes world-beating Concours restorations. At last year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, JD Classics picked up two ‘Best in Class’ awards for its Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupé and XK120 Jabbeke land speed record car restorations.

Most recently JD Classics became the first classic car specialist to open a showroom in Mayfair, London. 

Surrounded by boutiques from the world’s most sought-after luxury brands, JD Classics’ showroom on Mount Row showcases a selection of the company’s finest models.